The ancient art of bonsai originated in China, but it wasn't until the Japanese brought it into their culture and developed it into the art form that we know today that bonsai as a whole became something known to other parts of the world. It is still a very popular art form and is used in outdoor gardens and as part of indoor home decorating. In the United States, gardeners have learned to use the Bonsai art and culture and to adapt it to more suitable houseplants.
Sometime around the 13th century, Japanese gardeners wanting to make bonsai trees would search out specimens in the wild. Whenever possible, they would use trees that were naturally dwarfed by nature. They would then dig them up, pot them and train them to grow into one of the artistic styles of bonsai. These dwarf miniatures became some of the earliest examples of the art of bonsai.
For anyone who might be interested in learning about the art of bonsai or who might want to make their own bonsai tree, it's important to understand that not all plants or trees are suitable for use.
The ultimate goal of the art of bonsai is make the plant look like it is a mature tree, regardless of whether or not it is. In order to succeed, it is necessary for every part of the chosen plant to be in perfect scale with the size of the tree. It doesn't matter whether it is the leaves, the roots, the flowers, the flower buds, the trunk, or the fruit. Every part has to be proportional and conform to the proper scale.
CONSIDERATIONS:
When looking for a plant that is suitable for use in bonsai, look for plants that naturally have small leaves, or plants whose leaves will remain small once it is trained to grow as a Bonsai.
Plants should have attractive bark, and should have trunks that will ultimately give the illusion that the plant is a mature tree. When choosing a specimen, make sure that the girth will always remain in proper proportion to the entire tree.
*One way to give the illusion that the tree is old (even when it really isn't old,) is to expose the upper third of the root structure. This is especially effective when used with more mature specimens.
*Make sure that the branches are balanced. The goal is to make all branches look balanced while giving the appearance that they are floating in space.
*The branches are the component that gives the tree dimension, but more importantly, they are the key factor in establishing the tree's overall form.
BONSAI CLASSIFICATIONS:
Bonsai trees are classified according to one of five basic styles:
1. Formal Upright
2. Informal Upright
3. Slanting
4. Cascading
5. Semi-cascading
The classifications are determined by the tree's overall shape, but also according to the degree to which it slants from the vertical axis.
CHOOSING PLANTS:
There are many trees and shrubs that are suitable for use as bonsai specimens and that can be trained to grow in the traditional manner.
Any type of dwarf plant will have a different habit of growing than a regular full size plant does, and therefore, a dwarf plant undoubtedly cannot convey the same impression as a full size specimen. It isn't necessary to use very large full size specimens. To create a smaller bonsai, use a less mature plant but let it still be the full size specimen.
The following list is a suggestion of some trees and shrubs that are well suited to being trained as bonsai specimens.
*Azalea
*Beech
*Boxwood
*Ginkgo
*Hawthorn
*Heat her
*Maple
*Oak
*Pine
*Yew
The popularity of bonsai culture in the United States has prompted American plant experts and gardeners to draw on their knowledge and experience with caring for certain houseplants and incorporate that with bonsai concepts. As a result, bonsai concepts have been adapted for use with specific plants, most of which are tropical in origin and have the woody stems that are necessary for the success of bonsai.
Here are some houseplants that would be suited for use as bonsai specimens:
*Aralia
*Camelia
*Citrus
*Cherry
*Cypress
*Fig
* Hibiscus
*Holly
*Jade
*Jasmine
*Laurel
Many types of bonsai are meant to be grown outdoors. The first group of trees is an example of specimens that would need to be kept outdoors. One very important consideration when selecting plants, trees or shrubs to use in the creation of a bonsai is that whatever you choose needs to be hardy in your growing zone.
A bonsai can be started from a cutting, but if the cutting is taken from a flowering plant or tree, it's extremely open that it be done before any buds start to open. Azalea, boxwood, cotoneaster, olive, and willow are all easy enough to root to be suitable for use as bonsai specimens.
POT CHOICES FOR BONSAI:
Bonsai trees don't grow in traditional plant pots, and the style of pot used when first creating a bonsai will be different that that which it is planted in later in its growth. The pots that are used in the creation phase of a bonsai are known as training pots.
Contrary to what we'd normally assume when it comes to potting a plant, in bonsai culture, tall trees are planted in shallow dishes where as cascading plants are planted in the tall pots. When first planting a bonsai in a training pot, the holes in the bottom, regardless of whether it is a shallow dish or taller pot, should be a minimum of 1/2 inch in diameter.
Traditional shapes for bonsai pots or dishes are round, oval, rectangular or hexagonal.The round or rectangular pots are ideally shaped for cascading or semi cascading plants. When positioning a bonsai in the pot, semi cascading and cascading plants are centered in the middle of the pot. The reason these two styles must be centered is so that the branches can cascade over the sides.
When planting upright styles, they should be planted off center in oval or rectangular shaped pots. Upright trees should be positioned in such a way that the trunk is a third of the distance from the edge of one side (the side to which it is positioned off center,) of the pot.
SHAPING THE TREE:
Consider the manner in which the tree, plant or bush grows in its natural habitat. The goal of bonsai is to make the plant or tree look like it naturally grows in the manner in which it is shaped. The desire is to make it look like it is a very old plant or tree and that it has been growing in this way for quite some time. Remember that the earliest bonsai creations were made from plants that were dwarfed in nature and they were dwarf plants when they were found.
Before shaping the plant, make a rough sketch of the shape and form you want to create. Let the sketch be your guide. Bonsai designs are not random, although they are made to look like they are unplanned and natural.
There are three ways through which to create the desired shape. The first way is by pruning. This is what you will do when you are first shaping the plant. Store bought or nursery purchased plants will inevitably require considerable pruning. You are only pruning the plant to remove excess and unattractive limbs or foliage.
Always make the cuts above a bud, to a side branch or to a main fork of the tree. After completing the pruning, remove any additional buds but leave those that are on the outside of the trunk. Pruning is done as a means by which to force the tree to grow upward and outward. When making cuts during the pruning process, be sure that the remaining stubs are flush with the stems. Whatever you do, don't allow any of the main branches to become weak.
When pruning, do not shear the branches or leaves the way you would do if you were shaping a bush or hedge. In bonsai culture, the goal of all shaping is to create a replica of a mature tree. Branches will be trained to grow away from one another and outward into space. Make sure you don't over prune the leaves because this will make photosynthesis impossible.
Pruning is done to create the overall shape and this is done when the plant is first planted. Pruning allows you to create the intended style. Once this is established, any future shaping can be done by nipping or pinching the plant back. As with any normal plant that you pinch to control upward growth and encourage fuller growth, nipping a bonsai plant is done for the same purpose.
Because you are creating a miniature replica of a mature tree, it will also be necessary to prune roots and to keep them trimmed. When trimming the roots, take special care to avoid the fibrous roots. Each branch should have one root, so make sure that you maintain that ratio.
WIRING:
When you are finally satisfied with the shape you've created, then you can wire the plant. Use copper wire because it's most flexible. The heaviest gauge wire you should use should be #8 and the lightest gauge should be #16. The light wire will be used on the thinnest branches whereas the heavy wire will be used on large branches and on the trunk.
Wire evergreen trees only when they are dormant and deciduous trees should be wired during the growing season. To ensure that the branches are somewhat flexible, withhold water the day before you plan to wire the plants. Wiring always starts at the bottom (base of the trunk towards the roots,) and proceeds upward. Anchor the end of the wire at the base of the tree and then push it into the soil to secure it.
Because the wire may damage tender branches, it is a good idea to use foam pads under the wire. When you wire the branches, do not wrap the wire around any part of the branch multiple times. The wire should be wrapped in an upward spiral and at a 45 degree angle, leaving at least 1/4 inch between the turns.
If a branch accidentally snaps, unless it breaks off completely, it may be possible to reconnect it. Simply hold the two ends together and wind garden tape around the place where the branch broke. If the branch breaks of altogether, cut the remainder of that branch back to the first side branch.
The wire should only remain on the plant for the first year. The purpose of the wire is to force the plant to grow in the intended manner. By the end of a year, there should no longer be any need for wire. When removing the wire, start at the end of the branch and work inward. This is the opposite of the way the wire was originally wrapped.
CARE:
During the summer, the trees will need cool night time temperatures and sunny days. They will also need to be misted daily unless it rains. It is important to protect outdoor bonsai from extremes of temperature, light, rain or wind. The plants will need to be watered daily, but make sure that the pot has adequate drainage and that the soil you use isn't holding water.
The ideal place to put an outdoor bonsai is on a bed of rocks. Outdoor bonsai need three to 5 hours of sun a day, it should be placed where it can get morning sun but receive the protection of some afternoon shade. Bonsai that are grown as houseplants should be displayed on a simple stand or table in front of a blank wall. The bonsai should be the focal point of the display and should not be obstructed by other plants, wall hangings or home decor.
Bonsai plants need regular fertilizing,but fertilizing should be restricted to before and during the growing season. A liquid houseplant fertilizer is acceptable but it will need to be diluted to 1/2 or 1/4 strength. Although most bonsai will go dormant during the winter, they still need to be watered. Reduce watering during the non-growing season to every other day. New bonsai should only be started in the spring. Additionally, pruning on any older bonsai should also only be done in the spring.
Outdoor bonsai plants need to be protected from harsh winter temperatures. When they are not growing, they need cool temperatures, but not extreme cold temperatures. If the temperatures drop below freezing, it will be necessary to protect them by placing them in a cold frame or greenhouse. In the dormant period, they must have cool temperatures, so do not bring them indoors.
One last thing to consider when growing bonsai is that the biggest reason bonsai die and people fail at growing them is because of over watering. Be especially careful not to over water the plants. Don't allow the soil to get or remain overly wet because it can result in rotting.